Our First-Generation Celebration is a time to celebrate our first-generation students! The campuswide celebration will be on Tuesday, November 8, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the Campus Center TV Lounge.
Get to know some of the Academic and Career Development (ACD) staff that are first-gen, too!
Career Consultant, STEM
What advice do you have for other first-gen students? Balance your schedule so you're not taking all of the classes that challenge you at one time. Also make sure you utilize the resources available to you on campus!
Who, or what, was your greatest support that helped you transition to college? The offices and support mechanisms on campus. I was also a member of TRIO Student Support Services, and they were a great resource as well. I would tell a first-generation student to get involved both with academic supports and with student life. There is so much available on campus to help you be successful!
What was your fondest memory of college? Honestly, when I acclimated to campus and got involved, I would see faces I knew who knew me. It was great feeling like I belonged on campus.
Student Success Advisor, AHHS
What advice do you have for other first-gen students? It is 110% okay to ask questions—even the ones you think "should" be obvious; our obvious is different than others, and that's okay. You're already taking a huge step in being the first, and it's okay to not have all the answers.
Who, or what, was your greatest support that helped you transition to college? Finding my people. I was introduced to my best friend by happenstance through friends I made in my FYS, and we were inseparable. I truly don't know that I would have made it without her cheering me on and being there to help me—her dad was an alum of our school, so she had a lot of the answers to questions I had.
What was your fondest memory of college? I have so many, but if I had to pick one, it'd be a finals tradition my best friend and I had: a Taco Bell 12-pack snuck into the library to munch on the entire day while we studied and did projects. We'd stay in that freezing library for 12 hours and trudge across campus at 2 a.m. to crash in bed!
Student Success Advisor, STEM
What advice do you have for other first-gen students? Ask ALL the questions. This transition into something new can feel very overwhelming, and there are going to be things that you encounter that you never even thought to ask about before. Don't ever hesitate to reach out to your advisor or a professor if you need some extra guidance. That's what they're here for!
Who, or what, was your greatest support that helped you transition to college? My husband. I received some well-meaning, but admittedly bad advice, when I first transitioned from high school to college. I had no one I could really turn to for help at that time. When I returned to school as an adult learner, my husband really helped walk me through what I needed to do, and it made all the difference.
What was your fondest memory of college? Finally finding a major that really fit who I was and what I was passionate about. Once I discovered this, so many other pieces started to fall into place! Thankfully, I had a wonderful advisor who helped guide me and made sure I was on the right track.
Director of Professional Development and HLSAC
What advice do you have for other first-gen students? Treat everything as a learning opportunity. Things might not go as planned or might be more difficult that you were prepared for, but you could really learn something from those experiences.
Who, or what, was your greatest support that helped you transition to college? My roommate and my advisor. As someone who was really shy, my outgoing roommate taught me to just ask questions and figure it out. Don't know the lingo? Ask someone what that abbreviation or acronym means. Don't know how to get to that class? Leave 10 minutes earlier than you would have and figure it out. My advisor was more gentle and encouraging—he taught me how to understand degree plans, communicate with my instructors, and make the most out of the "extras" in college, like internships, colloquial classes, and picking minors.
What was your fondest memory of college? I don't know that I could pick just one. I think what I look back at most fondly from college are the times I spent with friends I still have today. Sure, I learned a lot and college is what prepared me for what I do now, but none of that would mean much if I hadn't met all of the amazing people I did!
Director of Academic Success
What advice do you have for other first-gen students? Join study groups when possible. It's amazing how much more you can learn by discussing homework or prepping for tests with your peers. I remember my first few months as a freshman. I thought I was one of the only ones who didn't understand some of the concepts in my intro to sociology course. So rather than embarrass myself by raising my hand, I kept quiet. I later found out when I joined a study group that no one else understood the same things I didn't! We worked on those problems together and did well on the next few tests. Don't be shy about asking your instructors, your advisor, and even some of the students in your classes for help when you need assistance.
Who, or what, was your greatest support that helped you transition to college? I was a year behind my best friend in high school. He went to college before I did. When he came home for the holidays, he encouraged me to apply to the same school. We were both musicians and wanted to continue playing in our band, so I ended up where he was. It was much easier for me to make friends when I knew one already. We hung around the same people, and the band was playing more and more, so the beginning of my college experience was based on a gut feeling that I should go where my friend was. That's probably not the best way to choose a school, but for me it worked.
What was your fondest memory of college? This will sound a bit strange, but my fondest memory was getting academically dismissed from my college. What that allowed me to do was to take a break from the rigors of academia and took a couple of semesters off to play in the band, work full time, and come to the realization that I was not going to be a rock star and that I'd better get my degree first. So after I was mentally ready to tackle college again, I picked the major that felt the best for me (teaching), buckled down, and graduated. The second fondest memory? Going back to school to get a master's degree. Those decisions ultimately led me on a long and winding path to IU Indianapolis and becoming one of the directors in our office.
